Malaysia supports Southern Thailand peace process

Malaysia has pledged its full support and cooperation to the newly appointed Chief Dialogue Leader for Southern Thailand's peace process, Thanut Suvarnananda. The commitment signals Malaysia's continued dedication to fostering peace and stability in the region.

Malaysian Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin welcomed Thanut's appointment, expressing hope for a more effective continuation of the ongoing peace talks. "We will provide all cooperation to the new dialogue chief so that the goal of creating peace and stability in Southern Thailand can be achieved," he stated. Malaysia's involvement, he emphasized, is strictly limited to facilitating the peace dialogue, not intervening in Thailand's internal security affairs.

Mohamed Khaled clarified that any violence or attacks in Southern Thailand are sovereign matters for the Thai government to handle. "If attacks and so on occur, it is not our role because it involves their national sovereignty," he said. "Just as if security incidents occur in Malaysia, we do not expect other countries to interfere in our internal affairs. We must respect the sovereignty of each country."

Malaysia's primary role, according to the Defense Minister, is to help advance the peace process by bringing the various parties involved to the negotiation table. A special representative from Malaysia is tasked with facilitating discussions among stakeholders to find peaceful resolutions to the long-standing conflict. This effort is distinct from the cooperation on border control, which focuses on combating cross-border crimes like smuggling and illegal immigration.